The shipping industry is preparing for a major disruption of the types of fuels it will be using as early as the beginning of 2020, when stricter regulations for the sulfur content of fuel come into force. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set January 1, 2020, as the starting date from which only low-sulfur fuel oil will be allowed to be used for ships. So shippers are exploring various options to comply with the new sulfur-limiting rules. One is to use Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO) or marine gas oil (MGO). Another option is to install the so-called scrubbers—systems that remove sulfur from exhaust gas emitted by bunkers. Some in the industry have also been exploring using biofuels as cutter stock to blend with the fuels. While biofuels have advantages in terms of reduced emissions, so they would be more ‘environmentally-friendly’ than other options, the characteristics, energy […]